Eagerly Waiting

I never thought we’d make it this far. Honestly. I’m one of those people who felt the Lord would return long before we reached this point in time. I’ve been looking for His return since high school, and for me, that was the late 70’s.

My grandmother passed away a few years ago. During my last visit with her in the hospital, she was weak but still fiesty. I said something about how fortunate she was to get to see the Lord before He returns to earth. She responded quickly, “Well, you told me He was going to be here ten years ago.”

I’m known as one who “eagerly awaits The Day,” and although it hasn’t happened yet, I know He’s coming.

So what does one do about New Year’s Resolutions when hoping for Christ’s Return?

Mine is the same as it is every day…to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel…to eagerly await The Day…and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. ~Romans 8:22-23

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. ~Philippians 3:20-21

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. ~Hebrews 9:27-28

Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice, that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare. Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides. ~2Peter 3:8-13

Are you marking time in this world…for this world? Or are you conducting your life in holiness and godliness, while eagerly waiting the coming of the Lord?

A New Year will begin tomorrow. I’m still hoping The Day will come shortly, thereafter.

I’m with you. 🙂 And … if I hadn’t said it before … when you write, I feel deep, deep peace s=wash over me, and assurance of Truth. It almost doesn’t matter the subject. I value that about you.

I thought of something the other day that I think pertains to this … let me see if I or the Lord can recall it to my remembrance. Hmmm … apparently not at 3:00 in the morning. ok. Well, if I think of it, I’ll share. I too am looking forward to the day.

I hear ya, Michelle, but what’s the hurry? Life is short as it is. I mean, doesn’t it seem like the last 40+ years of your life have been a blur? The rest of your life will pass just as quickly. Make the best of it. Enjoy the day you have grandchildren.

As for me? I’m not ready for The Day. I still have unfinished business on this earth. But then, that’s just me.

Although I am looking forward to HIS return, and going Home..HE has been reminding that life is a gift…and we must not waste a second of it..rejoice..this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Woohooooo! love ya Princess

Whenever you remember, Annie, I look forward to reading your thoughts. At 3 in the morning, I’m shocked you can even type! Thanks for your kind words. Love you!

Hey, Tim! I’m not so sure I’m in a hurry to leave — I do want to accomplish all He has for me to do. My eagerness in looking for The Day has to do with wanting to be complete, more than anything. I want to be Home. This is not my home.

It really does remind me of the way I felt when we were living in England, that homesickness for where I belonged. I loved living in England, don’t misunderstand. The experiences were great — the culture shock was interesting, not always comfortable, but interesting, nonetheless. I do desire to see grandchildren and experience all He would have me know of this life. But honestly, Tim, this is not reality. The real, the completeness of our existence, will come later. For now we see in part, then we will see clearly. I want to see clearly.

Amen, Darla. I’m not meaning to sound morbid, just knowing this is not my final resting place. I don’t want to store up treasures here. But I will say with Paul, “For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Love you, too!

There is no more sobering thought than this. I don’t want to die (I have great things to live for here on this earth – relationships); however, to be with God, to have a restored fellowship with him, I can’t put words down to describe.

My life on this earth is suffering, spiritually painful. I want nothing more than to be with him – but – that is not His will for this time. I pray for his coming, I pray for the Peace of Jerusalem (because there will be NO peace there until his return.)

Reinhold Niebuhr penned a prayer that helps me:

God,

Grant me the serenity…
to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it; trusting that You will
make all things right if I surrender to your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

“i sure wanna get whatever it is im supposed to do, right, while im here in this blink.”

Amen, Tam! I don’t want to miss out on what He has for me in this life. But I do look forward to heaven when I’ll get to meet all my blog buddies. I’m afraid it’s not gonna happen this side of heaven.

Love you, TammyJo! 😉

WOW, Burton! Thank you for sharing. Great words. I love the prayer you quoted. I’ve only heard the first part but the second:

…accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is…

That’s good stuff! That’s the mindset I need to remember day in and day out. Just as He learned obedience by the things He endured (Hebrew 5:8) why would we think we should endure anything less? It is the pathway to peace, these hardships teach us more than we realize.

Although, I think if he returns before I leave, I would be the one who says something embarrassing like: “oh your here! Well, can you gimme just a minute. I just have a couple more calls to make and emails to send.”

Hey Sis, This multiple translations of the bible really bugs me at times – sometimes it may help make things clearer by hearing or reading the same thing said in a slightly different way, but sometimes too it does, or can, alter the actual meaning.

in this light your version of Hebrews 9:28 highlighted in blue above does not read the way it reads in Netbible’s translation or the KJV. It is quite close and to a casual eye might seem to be saying the same thing but the thing that stood out to me reading the other versions was the phrase ‘to those who eagerly await Him’. Placed before where it appears in your version?

i find this very curious and more than a little irreconcilable to the idea of an actual physical ‘End Time’ for all humanity.

Why? Because if such were the case there would be no need for the rider: ‘to those who eagerly await Him’ this would seem superfluous as He would be very evident to ALL mankind – those who believe and await as well as those who don’t. It makes more sense to believe that only those who wait truly will receive His Salvation (unless he saves everyone regardless – how much would some Christians hate that idea?) 😉 but the KJV appears to be saying He will appear a second time only to those who eagerly wait – with some interpretation of the term ‘eagerly’ possible.
(see note 35 concerning salvation to ch 9 of Hebrews in netbible.org)

btw – i try to question, not to deny or confuse, but to ‘put all things to the test’ (of how well they stand to critical and righteous thinking – how representative they are of His Truth and not just our own less than perfect logic – just so you know) 🙂

if something we hold dear fails such a test it is right that we find the truth of the matter, for if our human logic can overcome God’s then clearly something has to be wrong somewhere.

I had to look up ‘assiduously’ and found it means — marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application…a synonym — busy.

We are to be busy, paying careful constant attention…applying persistently to our hope of His coming.

Other verses where this word is used (some are in the post above):

Gal 5:5
For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness.

Rom 8:19
For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God.

Rom 8:25
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.

1Co 1:7
so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Phi 3:20
But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Heb 9:28
so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.

Rom 8:23
Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

1Pe 3:20
after they were disobedient long ago 1 when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.

Eagerly awaiting our hope. Our great hope is found in Him…in being united with Him…literally. Yes, spiritually we are sealed in the Holy Spirit. But, someday we will see Him face to face and that is to be our greatest expectation.

The various interpretations are given for ease of language, syntax. But yes, we need to be mindful of the possibility of misinterpretation, which is why we need to go back to the original Greek.

I AM the True Light

John’s Gospel

A Peaceful Life

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things
I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship
As the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make
All things right if
I surrender to His will;
So that I may be
Reasonably happy in this life and
Supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.